alligator leather

A leather produced from the skin of any member of
the reptilian order Crocodilla. Generally, only
the belly area of the animal is used, the heavily
scaled back being too course and horny. The beauty
of alligator leather stems in part from the fact
that the scales have a natural "enamel," which,
originally, was usually destroyed by crude tanning
methods. Later it was preserved, and even
enhanced, by "plating" the skin with heated metal
plates which gave it its high glaze. Alligator
leather is very durable and also very expensive.
This term is largely confined to the United
States; in Europe it is generally called
"crocodile leather." (351 , 363 )